1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for dividing a continuously conveyed stream of shingled workpieces, such as bags or sacks into leading and trailing parts, comprising two consecutive endless belt conveyors, wherein the downstream or second belt conveyor is driven during a dividing operation, at a higher velocity than the first or upstream conveyor in order to pull the shingled stream apart and after the shingled stream has been divided into the leading and trailing parts is driven at the same velocity as the first conveyor, the apparatus also comprising separating means provided between the belt conveyors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an apparatus of the above kind, which is disclosed in Published German Patent Application 28 52 603, the separating means comprises an endless separating conveyor, which overlies the second belt conveyor and is adapted to be driven independently of the first belt conveyor. The separating conveyor is provided over a portion of its periphery with cross-cleats, which receive the shingled stream from the first belt conveyor and hold said stream over the second belt conveyor so that the second belt conveyor pulls the shingled stream apart to form a gap therein. The known apparatus cannot be used to achieve a satisfactory division of the shingled stream in such a manner that leading parts consisting of an exactly predeterminable number of workpieces can be separated from the shingled stream because in the operation of the known apparatus it is not possible reliably to predict the point at which the shingled stream will be pulled apart. Specifically, in the operation of the known apparatus problems will arise in the division of a shingled stream which consists of thin, limp workpieces.